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In another thread, The Enemy used the term Butterfly to describe an expediter who moves from company to company without doing homework. That got me to thinking about other terms. Can you add any more? Butterfly: An expediter who moves from company to company without doing homework. Also known...

In an August 4, 2011 press release, entitled "Express-1 Files Definitive Proxy Materials," Express-1 announced that a company name change will be put to a shareholder vote on September 1. If shareholders approve, the new company name will be XPO Logistics, Inc. At the same shareholder meeting...

It happened again. Yet another case has developed where a married couple team, new to expediting, signed up with a fleet owner without knowing the experiences of previous drivers who have been burned by him. Now burned themselves -- perhaps even financially destroyed -- the drivers are in a...

Diane and I have run with two carriers in eight years. Having just completed orientation with the second one, we were reminded that there is a lot to learn in a short time when you begin. You want to do do the job right, but when everything is new and unfamiliar, stress develops as the desire...

I posted a few minutes ago in the FedEx Custom Critical forum that Diane and I have left that carrier for another (Landstar Express America). The post was the post and I thought little more about it as we prepare to enjoy a quiet weekend. But with questions already coming to us by phone and...

In posts here in the Open Forum and on my blog, and in conversations with company personnel, I have been saying that Diane and I are leaving FedEx Custom Critical. The deed is done. On Monday, we will attend orientation at our new carrier, Landstar Express America. Dreamer, this is my last...

Offer comes in this morning. Reefer load with marginal pay. Run info indicates TVAL tape but it is for freight that does not normally require TVAL service. Call to dispatch reveals that a data logger tape is requested for this non-TVAL load but there is no extra pay to provide the tape. Message...

To step out of the clutter and get back on topic, "Building Your Business Plan Spreadsheet II" (this thread) picks up clean from "Building Your Business Plan Spreadsheet." I've added a couple of monthly expense items to the list and request that interested readers provide more. We are...

As FedEx Custom Critical adds flat-rate straight trucks to its fleet (vs. percentage-paid straight trucks), people are re-thinking the FDCC contractor opportunity. Some are kind enough to share details here in the Open Forum for the benefit of others. This presents an opportunity to gather...

Speaking of a May 20 event, a former FDCC employee said this in another online forum: "I was able to attend the FY12 Kickoff for FedEx Custom Critical this past Friday night and was able to see a lot of the people I used to work with there and also got to chat with the CEO for a few minutes...

While I am no longer actively researching the changes at FedEx Custom Critical, people continue to supply me with information. I post it because I believe it is important for contractors to know. But I would not feel offended in the least if others posted directly what they know. Anyway, about...

This is more of a rant than anything else. I'm sitting at a truck stop in weather that could not be better for sitting and sleeping in a truck without running the heater or AC. Yet a walk up and down the rows will show numerous trucks idling their fuel away. Why do drivers idle their trucks on...

Just curious. If you have had a rear door sensor installed when your new data logger was installed (TVAL trucks), have you had any alarms? We had our first one yesterday. "WARNING THE REAR DOORS HAVE BEEN OPENED! PLEASE DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND NOTIFY DISPATCH." Our response: While we have had...

There was a bit of excitement at the truck stop this morning. A driver tried to force his way into a parking spot and had not a driver in the adjacent spot laid on his air horn, a crash would have happened for sure. The errant driver continued to have problems so the driver of the parked truck...

West Coast runs have been discussed recently in the FedEx Custom Critical forum with some contractors saying the freight has slowed in western states and that they are avoiding the area for that reason. I have responded with our truck history saying the west has been good for Diane and me and we...

Diane and I recently visited over breakfast with four other expediters and the subject of fleet owners came up. The six of us knew of several fleet owners but also knew most of them to be either shrinking their fleets or getting out of the business altogether. We knew of no fleet owners who had...

Sobering photos of the tornado damage done to the Glade Spring, VA Petro and trucks there. I can't tell for sure but it look like that may be a Panther E or ER unit partially in the shop.

A local TV station did a piece on FedEx Custom Critcial on April 22. It can be seen online. Click here to view. The piece on FDCC starts seven minutes, 30 seconds into the video. Your comments?

Time for snapshots from expediters that illustrateswhat different people did for dinner this Easter Sunday. What did you do for dinner this Easter Sunday?

Thirty five people are dead in six states from a vicious storm that moved from Oklahoma through Virginia. Are all expediters well? Any trucks damaged or involved?